Children's Museum satellite planned for Sugar Land's former Imperial site

The Imperial Sugar Co. in Sugar Land sits empty since its closing in 2003. Land development is planned for this historic site. The char house, in the background, will be salvaged and remain on site.

Photo By Chronicle file

In the 1880s there was no city of Sugar Land -- just the refinery, a rooming house and general store.

Photo By Chronicle file

Smoke is emitted from the mill in 1905.

Photo By Chronicle file

The facility's melt house in 1959.

Photo By Chronicle file

In 1959, the melt house was the most advanced facility of its kind in the sugar industry.

Photo By DAVID J. PHILLIP/Associated Press

Imperial Sugar, founded in 1843, filed for bankruptcy protection in January 2001.

Photo By SMILEY N. POOL/CHRONICLE

Traffic on Highway 90 races past the historic plant in 2002.

Photo By DAVID J. PHILLIP/Associated Press

Sugar was stored in these silos at the complex.

Photo By Billy Smith II/Chronicle

The inside of the refinery as it stands Sept. 17.

Photo By Billy Smith II/Chronicle

The refinery and the surrounding area on Highwyay 90A as it is today.

Photo By Billy Smith II/Chronicle

The site is being turned into a commercial and residential area, with the refinery being turned into lofts.

How the Imperial Sugar plant used to look in Sugar Land.

Photo By Chronicle file

The Imperial Sugar plant as it was in Sugar Land in July 1934.

Photo By J. Patric Schneider

The old Imperial Sugar factory in Sugar Land.

Photo By DAVID J. PHILLIP

Sugar was stored in silos at Imperial Sugar, which gave the Houston suburb Sugar Land its name.

Photo By Nick de la Torre

The furnace house of the historic Imperial Sugar Company refinery eventually falls Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010, in Sugar Land. There was no warning when the building fell and many people in the crowd thought there were people in it. The bin building and furnace house are being removed to make way for improvements to the historic site including mixed use building that will have retail and apartments.

Photo By Nick de la Torre/Houston Chronicle

The Historic Imperial Sugar Company refinery's bin building collapses after explosives are detonated causing it to implode and fall Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010, in Sugar Land. The bin building and furnace house are being removed to make way for improvements to the historic site including mixed use building that will have retail and apartments.

Photo By Nick de la Torre/Houston Chronicle

The historic Imperial Sugar Company refineries bin building imploded by explosives and falls to the ground Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010, in Sugar Land. The bin building and furnace house are being removed to make way for improvements to the historic site including mixed use building that will have retail and apartments.

Photo By Gary Fountain/For the Chronicle

Land being cleared at the Imperial Sugar factory site where two buildings were recently imploded.

Photo By DAVID J. PHILLIP/AP

Imperial Sugar's refinery was once an icon of life in Fort Bend County.

Photo By Bob Bailey

1959 aerial view of Imperial Sugar plant in Sugar Land, Texas

Photo By Melissa Mahan/Houston Chronicle

Many old-timers would say the area where the Imperial Sugar Co. building stands, near U.S. 90A, is the heart of Sugar Land.

Proposed designs for the Sugar Land branch of the Children's Museum of Houston. (CMH photos)

Proposed designs for the Sugar Land branch of the Children's Museum of Houston. (CMH photos)

Proposed designs for the Sugar Land branch of the Children's Museum of Houston. (CMH photos)

Proposed designs for the Sugar Land branch of the Children's Museum of Houston. (CMH photos)

Proposed designs for the Sugar Land branch of the Children's Museum of Houston. (CMH photos)

With its burgeoning population growth, Fort Bend County is a logical spot for an extension of the hemmed-in Children's Museum of Houston.